Newsom Appointed Judge Released Illegal Immigrant Who Stabbed Martinez Man

Stewart was stabbed on August 6, 2026 around 5:09 p.m. outside his home on Francis Court while working in his yard, NBC Bay Area reported. The attack was captured on neighbor surveillance video, and the suspect fled in a Cadillac SUV.

According to the Department of Homeland Security, Iriarte-Valdez is a criminal illegal alien from Venezuela who also holds citizenship in Spain. On August 8, 2026, ICE placed a detainer on him with the Contra Costa County Jail.

Iriarte-Valdez was arrested the next evening at his home. He faces murder charges, including special-circumstance allegations tied to fleeing a burglary attempt in some reports, and is being held on high bail.

Court and police records indicate Iriarte-Valdez was on pretrial release related to residential burglary charges (with persons present) from April 29, 2026, incidents in Orinda, KTVU reported. He was taken into custody around August 4 for an alleged home-detention monitoring violation, then released the next day (August 5) on his own recognizance and referred back to home detention monitoring. The killing occurred the following day. Police noted that the electronic monitoring equipment was not fitted until after the homicide.

According to Martinez News and Views, Iriarte-Valdez was on pretrial release with home detention/electronic monitoring, for residential burglary charges from April 2026 incidents in Orinda.

On or around August 4, 2026, he was taken into custody for allegedly violating home-detention monitoring rules. The ankle monitor was removed while he was in custody.

On August 5, 2026, Contra Costa County Superior Court Judge Nichelle N. Holmes ordered him released on his own recognizance and referred him back to the home-detention monitoring program. 

The next day, August 6, he is on surveillance cameras fatally stabbing Stewart.